Switch cover



Dec. 1, 192-5.

A. FINKERNAGEL SWITCH COVER Original Filed Oct. 7, 192] Patented Dec. 1 1925.

ARTHUR FINKERNAGEL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SWITCH COVER.

Application filed October 7, 1921, fierial To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR Finnnnnii- GEL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch fevers, of which the following is a specii'ication.

Switchboard accidents are so nmnerous and familiar that the necessity for improvements in the nature of safety appliai-"cs in this connection is obvious.

The present invention relates to an insulating device or cover for a knife blade or similar type of switch which covenprotccts completely not only the switch member but the positive terminals also protecting the negative terminals whenever they are place in circuit by closure of the switch.

In addition to affording complete protection the switch cover has advantages; that it is of simple and cheap construction and easily applied and removed for purposes of repair and the like. It may, in fact be made in standard sizes and applied instantaneously without any necessity for adaptation or fitting.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a switch cover embodying my invention in the preferred form.

In the drawing:

F igure 1 is a fragmentary View of a switchboard showing the switch cover in. plan; the switch and terminals being shown in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same with the switch closed;

Figure 3 is a similar view with the switch open;

Figure 4: is a view corresponding to Figures 2 and 3 showing a double throw switch;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 4:.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the illustration shows the usual knife blade switch 1-1 pivotally mounted on positive terminals 22 and adapted to swing into and out of contact with the usual negative terminals 33. The switch as shown includes pivoted contact blades 4.4.: connected at their swinging ends by a transverse bar 5 usually of insulating material. The switchboard proper which is of insulating material is indicated by reference character 7. The switch cover as illustrated consists No. 506,160. Renewed October 14, 1925.

of a box member 10 adapted to receive and enclose the entire switch from beneath ha ing a bottom 11 and sides 12-12, but being open at the front and rear ends 1?; and 15, and a cover member ll having a depending end wall 16 at the forward or swinging end. Figures 1, 2 and 5 show a switch handle 1'? projecting from the face of the cover and held by a bolt18 which passes through the handle and cover and throi. the cross bar of the switch and through the bottom of the box being held by a nut 19. Figure ishows a switch handle 20 of the usual t projecting through the front wall of box which may be slotted to pass it, and the cover may be attached by a central bolt in arrangement similar to that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5 at 28, in fact the handle is not important so long as the central bolt 7 is properly insulated.

Referring again to the cover, it will be noted that its lateral edges 21 are joined to the box by any preferred joint which may include an offset or shoulder 22 indicated in Figures 5 and (5 and that the 1 central portion comprises a block or upri ht projection 23 which occupies the rectc e within the knife blade switch, it being; of course understood that the cover, the box and the projecting central portion are of any preferred insulating ma erial such as hard rubber, fibre or the like. This central portion or block is formed with apertures 24 to admit the terminals or rat-her the inner or adjacent members of the terminals, the side members of the box being likewise spaced 0r notched at 25 and apertures at 26 extend through the bottom for this purpose, i. e., to admit the terminals. in Figures l and 6 the apertures extend through the box and cover to admit the knife blades at both sides to provide for the double throw.

To assemble the cover in operative posi tion on the switch, the switch is first thrown open, the cover block is passed into the central aperture, the box is passed over the switch from beneath and the parts are locked by bolt 18 and nut 19 and also preferably by a central bolt 28 having its head on or near the outside of the cover and a nut 29 on the bottom of the box. The two forward apertures 26 provide for the passing of the box over the negative terminals which are therefore admitted to contact with the switch, the box of course swinging with the switch as it opens and closes being preferably slotted at the rear as shown in Figure 6 to provide for passing the positive terminals.

It will be apparent that the insulating cover described completely encloses not only the switch but the positive terminals and also encloses the negative terminals even when the switch is closed, itbeing understood by those skilled in the art that the negative terminals are not energized when the switch is opened making the insulating cover described a complete protection so that contact of the hands with the live portions. of the circuit through the body with dangerous burns and shocks is completely eliminated by use of this insulating cover.

The box in addition to preventing short circuits prevents the fire from flying in the event of sparking in making or breaking contact at the switch.

The lock seam or shoulder 22 prevents dangerous leakage or stagnet in case the switch is grasped by the sides instead of by the handle.

The double throw switch in Figure 6 is protected even though the openings extend through the box by the placing of the knife blades well away from the top and bottom surfaces of the box and cover.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a single embodin'ient. of my invention so that the nature and operation of same may be clearly understood, however, the specific terms herein are used descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch cover for knife blade switches and the like consisting of a box of insulating material completely enclosing the knife blade and swinging with the knife blade as it opens and closes, and having slots to admit the terminals.

2. A switch cover for knife blade switches and the like consisting of a box of insulating material made in a plurality of separable parts enclosing the knife blade and swinging with the knife blade as it opens and closes and means for securing the separable parts together, the box having slots to admit the terminals.

3. A switch cover for knife blade switches and the like consisting of a box of insulating material a plurality of separable parts forming said box and enclosing the knife blade and swinging with the blade as it opens and closes and means for securing the separable parts together, the box having slots to admit the positive and negative terminals.

4:. A cover for knife blade and similar switches consisting of aboxmade of insulating material a plurality of separable parts forming the box, the same consisting of a cover having a depending front wall, and a box portion proper having corresponding sides, at each side of said front wall means for securing the box and cover together to enclose the knife blade so that they swing with the knife blade, the box being slotted to admit the terminals.

A cover for knife blade switches consisting of a box two separable parts composing the box one part of said box consisting of a flat top and a depending end portion, the other part of said box consisting of a bottom and sides, means for securing the two parts together, the bottom being slotted to admit the negative terminals and the top having protuberant portion adapted to project between the knife blades the parts composing the box completely enclosing the knife blades.

(3. A cover for knife blade switch consisting of a box composed of separable portions completely enclosing the knife blade and adapted to swing therewith, means for rcmovably securing the parts together, one said part being slotted to admit the terminals.

7. A cover for knife blade switches consisting of a box separable portions composing the box completely enclosing the knife blade and adapted to swing therewith, means for removably securing the parts together, one said part being slotted to admit the terminals and the other said part having a projecting portion adapted to occupy the space between the knife blades a portion of the box extending beyond and covering the pivotal portions of the knife blade switch and the corresponding terminals.

Signed by me at Baltimore, lvlaryland, this 4th day of October, 1921.

ARTHUR FINKERNAGEL. 

